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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26828656">Wanderers We</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account'>orphan_account</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>WATTS [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>No Fandom</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 11:15:08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,560</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26828656</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>WATTS [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1661236</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Wanderers We</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>All Mestago knew was to go east. He could feel that malevolent presence taunting him from there.</p><p>Clack. There was the familiar racket behind him, kicking another rock. He didn’t have to turn around to know it was that Scalperbug that had started following him. It’d been miles and it was still scared of him. Mestago wasn’t sure why. After all, the thing couldn’t die.</p><p>The sun was setting on the cracked, dry desert. In a way it was almost beautiful, the way the sun seemed to melt into the ground and flood the sky blood-red. He heard the familiar hissing behind him as the strange larva looked directly at the sun again.</p><p>Night was dangerous in these wastes. Ancient, dreadful things were emboldened by the cover of darkness. It was time for Mestago to light a fire and play dead, just in case. He couldn’t risk dying now.</p><p>He had almost drifted to sleep, or so it appeared. In reality, Mestago was waiting for another familiar sound, the rustling as the larva sat next to him. He had been waiting for the right time to strike.</p><p>His armored hand shot out from his blanket and was met with a wall of steel. He tried to withdraw, but his hand was stuck somehow. He supposed his jig was up and looked up.</p><p>Stuck into the ground ahead of him was a massive, single-edged sword. Perched on top was a small bird, looking down on him with a cool sense of superiority.</p><p>The bird tsked at him. “For shame. Someone as strong as you threatening something as weak as this. There are better ways to go about this.”</p><p>“This thing can’t die. It wasn’t a threat at all! I just wanted a good grip on the slippery little bastard--”</p><p>“So you decided the best way to do that was to...you looked like you were trying to grab through its neck.”</p><p>“So what if I was? Who’re you to tell me what to do?”</p><p>She seemed puzzled. “Well you’ve just proven it, haven’t you? I don’t have a name. Only a title. She who would Suffer Fools. You are a fool, Mestago Verezki. Away from clan and friend. Alone and on the wrong path, besides. But you’re not a lost cause.”</p><p>“I’d accept, if you were right. I’m on the only right path, meddling do-gooder. My path.”</p><p>She sighed. “I was holding on to the hope that words would get through to you.” She took a step off the sword’s hilt, but she was still standing at the same height. It was like her legs extended past where Mestago could see them.</p><p>In a fluid motion, she wrenched the sword out of the ground and held it perfectly level in her beak. “I suppose I’ll have to knock some sense into you.” She flipped the sword around so the dull edge was facing out.</p><p>Mestago laughed. “Going easy on me is your last mistake.” The bird stood in the air, completely still. “Not responding? You think you’re better than me? Huh?” She closed her eyes. Mestago started to feel something rising up. Something ancient. In an instant, this new presence started flowing out of her, almost tangibly. As it flowed over him, he felt a shell-shaking fear well up in him. The cracks in his carapace began to glow pure, bright gold.</p><p>“What did you do to me?”</p><p>The golden light was flooding out of her eyes. “This curse is my strength, eschaddein. Do you still wish to fight me?”</p><p>His instincts were screaming at him to say no, but he ignored them. “Of course. This is for my honor.”</p><p>“So be it.”</p><p>“Flip your sword back around.”</p><p>***</p><p>When Mestago woke up, he was bleeding through his bandages. He sat up with a pained gasp.</p><p>“What...did you DO to me?”</p><p>The little bird said, “Just knocked off one of your stomach plates. It’ll grow back. I bandaged you up.”</p><p>She kept polishing her sword. Mestago thought it was quite polished already, but it seemed she had other ideas.</p><p>“Why?”</p><p>The sword seemed to shrink as she sighed and put it in a sheath at her hip.</p><p>“I’m an honorable duelist, Mestago. And I’m here to put you right.”</p><p>“I don’t need to be put right, you stupid--” The sword was at his neck before he could finish.</p><p>“What was that? You want another stomach plate knocked off to match? You’re gonna listen good. You’re a fool, Verezki. I had to come here to make you less of one. If you’re gonna try to fight me every day, so be it. You’ll run out of armor to protect your worthless hide soon enough.”</p><p>She sheathed the sword in a practiced motion. “You’re a coward, no matter how much you fight.”</p><p>Mestago sat back, wincing as his sore stomach painfully protested.</p><p>“What’s this ‘fixing me’ entail?”</p><p>She made a small sound, somewhere between a cough and a laugh. “You’re this journey’s leader. With all of the responsibilities that includes.”</p><p>“That doesn’t sound so…” He looked at the horizon, at the barren, cracked wasteland ahead of them and his eyes widened. “That’s not fair! What are you and the grub doing?”</p><p>The bird swung her sword directly at Mestago and he flinched. He heard the sound of splattering fluid on the ground behind him. When he looked, a massive creature’s corpse was there, almost upon him. The scavenger was already combing through it.</p><p>“We’re your protection.”</p><p>***</p><p>It was noon, a few days later. At least, he thought. After the first day, they began to blend together. He never recalled falling asleep or waking up. All his life was the trudge across the desert, the careful checking on his supplies. The bird and the scavenger managed to get enough food from the beasts that could smell him, his signature on the scorched earth. The Council hadn’t realized that his special eyes had an effect beyond their slight glow; they changed him enough in the minds of monsters to be an interesting sight. His days were nothing but carnage surrounding him, never including him. He suffered in silence. Talking only made him need more water to drink.</p><p>It had been a month.</p><p>Mestago sighted something in the distance. Or was it closer? He couldn’t tell anymore. Clattering metal, heavy pack, swishing cloak. What was it? Cracking joints, slow steps, chittering mandibles. Could it be a river? A town? Smell of rocks, sun reflecting from metal and sand, flowing blood. Had they made it? Void in mind, void in shell, void in heart. Empty vessel, glowing eyes, stolen sword.</p><p>Mestago collapsed.</p><p>***</p><p>He awoke in a black nothing.</p><p>His mind was clearer than it had been for a long time. It was almost unfamiliar; he had gotten used to living like the beasts that had plagued him. No thought, no mind. Chaos all around. The nothingness was peace. He recognized it as something which had been drilled into him and every other Herecul around him. He had never really gotten it until now. The void was a tool, not a place of safety. He supposed this was the truth of the battle-calm that the greatest warriors of his clan took advantage of. Could even they not see out of their self-made prison? </p><p>The light began to shine through the nothing. Mestago blinked and was suddenly aware of his surroundings.</p><p>“Hello, warrior-fool. Congratulations. You’ve gotten us through the first leg of the trip.”</p><p>The bird was sitting on his shoulder. She was heavier than he expected. He shrugged her off but it didn’t even seem to shake her. She simply stepped into the air next to him.</p><p>“Why even perch on me?”</p><p>She did her strange strangled laugh again. “For fun.” It was an ugly, raspy sound. Mestago wondered what had happened to her.</p><p>“You’re like a legend of my people. The Terges Otivko. They excelled in battle through common trickery.”</p><p>She looked rather taken aback. “I didn’t expect one such as you to know well his history. The Suffering Fool was quite real. I would be honored to take their name, if this is what that scant thread of conversation was leading to.”</p><p>He mused for a second. “Tergevko… perhaps it suits you.”</p><p>“You seem different today. You’re making progress.”</p><p>“Hardly. That progress, in your eyes, would divert me.” His face hardened, then he composed himself. “Now. Where does our route take us next?”</p><p>“Eager, are you? Very well. You’ll be going this leg alone; that’s simply the nature of the desert beyond.”</p><p>“That hardly seems plausible.”</p><p>“Plausible or not, ‘tis the nature. A physical void, if you will. Some say it draws out your core, allows you to refine it. A trial by fire.” She looked off to the horizon. “Some say it’s not a journey can be undertaken by many that would love the opportunity.”</p><p>“Sounds one of those fables that can’t be cut with sword or spell. Between myself and my destiny? As if it could hinder my progress.” He scoffed. “I’ll take it on.”</p><p>“I know you will, warrior-fool. May you perhaps find something about your airs to be refined.”</p><p>Mestago walked alone to the desert beyond, unworried. The void within him was telling him the way to go. He smirked and chuckled. “Refine my core.... As if. I know my core already.”</p>
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